THE WALL STREET IMMORTAL

Chapter 2 Contract on Paper

Onyxa Storm did not waste time on pleasantries. The moment her Louboutin heels touched the creaking wooden floor of the orphanage, she frowned. The smell of rotting wood and cheap floor cleaner seemed to offend her senses, which were accustomed to the scent of white musk and luxury. Her eyes swept across the cramped room with undisguised disgust, as if she were walking over a heap of trash rather than through a human residence.

"The vibes in this place are absolutely suffocating," Onyxa muttered, her voice cold and sharp, cutting through the silence like a scalpel. She turned toward the still-trembling Tamsara, then shifted her gaze to Li Wei, who stood tall in the center of the room.

Li Wei did not budge. He observed the woman before him with a calmness that was unnatural for someone who had just awakened from a three-century slumber. In Li Wei’s eyes, Onyxa was not merely a beautiful woman in a designer suit that hugged her slim body. He saw further. There was a blockage in the flow of energy around her chest—a thin, swirling black mist, something known in the world of cultivation as an ill-fate seed or a passive curse. However, with his Qi levels near zero, Li Wei simply kept this observation to himself.

"So, is this the 'merchandise'?" Onyxa asked emotionlessly, gesturing toward Li Wei with her chin as if he were a clearance item at a thrift store.

"Miss Storm, this is Li Wei," Tamsara tried to interject, her voice raspy. "He... he is very reliable. I beg you, please help this orphanage. Our debt—"

"I didn’t come here for a sob story, Tamsara," Onyxa cut her off harshly. She gave a signal to her assistant standing outside the door, and a moment later, a thick leather folder was placed on the cracked wooden table.

"Let’s get to the point. I need status, you need cash. Simple."

Onyxa sat in the only wooden chair that appeared somewhat sturdy, crossing her long legs with grace. She opened the folder and pulled out a stack of papers—about twenty pages of legal documents filled with complex terminology.

"This is our marriage contract," Onyxa said, tossing a gold pen onto the table. "Read it carefully, though I don’t have all day. The gist is: You’ll be my husband on paper. You are forbidden from touching me, forbidden from entering my private quarters without permission, and you have no right to a single cent of the Storm family fortune if we divorce. Oh, and one more thing: at the house, you aren't the master of the manor. You’ll help out with household chores if the servants are busy. Just think of yourself as a housekeeper with the legal status of a husband."

Li Wei stared at the stack of papers. In his era, an agreement only required a blood oath or a spiritual seal. Now, modern humans needed reams of paper just to confirm their mutual distrust. He felt a flicker of agitation in his pride. He was an Immortal who had once sat upon a throne of clouds, dictating the fates of thousands of disciples. And now, a mortal woman was asking him to be a servant in his own home?

Patience, Li Wei, his inner voice whispered. This place is devoid of natural energy. You need a stable environment to restore your Dantian. This orphanage will be destroyed if you refuse. Repay this debt of gratitude, and you can leave once your strength returns.

Li Wei stepped forward. His hand, pale yet possessing long and firm fingers, reached for the pen.

"You don’t want to read it first?" Onyxa asked, one eyebrow arched. "There’s a clause stating that if you violate my privacy, I have the right to sue you until you rot in prison. Are you sure you want to sign that quickly? You don't have some hidden agenda, do you? Looking to chase some clout or something?"

Li Wei looked into Onyxa’s eyes. There was a cold glint there, but also a hidden exhaustion. "This paper is nothing more than scrap to me," Li Wei said flatly, his voice heavy and authoritative despite its low volume. "You need a shield, I need shelter. We are done here."

Without hesitation, Li Wei scrawled his signature on the final page with a swift and elegant motion, creating ink strokes that looked more like ancient calligraphy than a common signature.

Onyxa was momentarily stunned. She had mentally prepared herself for grueling negotiations, demands for more money, or at the very least, a lustful gaze from the man she was "buying." But Li Wei was different. This man looked at her as if she were merely a piece of the room's decor. There was no fear, no greed—only a calmness that was deeply unsettling to Onyxa’s ego.

"Brave of you," Onyxa snorted, trying to hide her surprise. She retrieved the contract and handed it to her assistant. "Fine, deal. A check for two million dollars will be sent to this orphanage's account within the hour. I'd better not hear another word about evictions or anything of the sort."

Tamsara Vale nearly collapsed in relief, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. "Thank you, Miss Storm! Thank you!"

Onyxa stood up, smoothing out her blazer, which didn't have a single visible wrinkle. She looked Li Wei up and down, appraising his outdated and slightly oversized clothes—donated hand-me-downs Tamsara had given him.

"I can't bring you home looking like a hobo," Onyxa said cynically. "Follow me. We don't have much time."

Li Wei gave only a slight nod. He glanced at Tamsara for a brief moment, signaling that everything would be alright, and then followed Onyxa out of the dingy basement building.

Outside, a gleaming black limousine was waiting. The door was opened by a man in a black suit—Raventhorn, the Storm family's head of security, who had a physique like a concrete wall. Raventhorn glared at Li Wei threateningly, as if he were ready to snap Li Wei’s neck should the man dare to make a suspicious move near his lady.

The moment they stepped into the car, the chill from the AC immediately hit them. The car’s interior was ultra-luxurious, featuring premium leather seats and soothing, dim lighting. Li Wei sat across from Onyxa, his eyes fixed on the Brooklyn scenery that began to fade away through the tinted windows.

"Listen, Li Wei," Onyxa began, her voice shifting back into cold business mode. "This marriage is just an act for my grandmother and the board of directors. They think I need a partner to stabilize my position as CEO. So, don't get ahead of yourself. In front of people, we’re a romantic couple. In private? You’re nobody."

"I understand," Li Wei replied succinctly. "Status is of no importance to me."

Onyxa clicked her tongue in annoyance. Li Wei’s "cool" attitude was truly irritating her. She could usually intimidate anyone with just a glance, but the man before her felt like an immovable mountain.

"Glad to see you're self-aware," Onyxa said as she flipped open her tablet to begin checking her schedule. She paused abruptly, turning toward Li Wei with a smile that carried a hint of malice. "Since you signed without actually reading, there’s one small detail I neglected to mention out loud."

Li Wei raised an eyebrow, silently waiting for the woman to continue.

"Tonight, there is a major gala in Manhattan. The city’s elite will be in attendance, including a few business rivals who are dying to see me fail," Onyxa snapped her tablet shut with a sharp click. "And tonight, you’re making your debut as my husband in front of all of them. Don’t embarrass me, or you’ll regret ever waking up from that squalid basement."

Li Wei slowly closed his eyes, attempting to sense the lingering traces of energy in the smog-choked New York atmosphere. He knew tonight wouldn't be peaceful. Yet, beneath his outward composure, Li Wei was already formulating a plan. A gala meant a crowd. A crowd meant a volatile mix of emotions. To a cultivator from the ancient paths, human emotions—be it hatred, envy, or fear—were raw fuel, waiting to be refined by those who knew the secret.

"A gala, is it?" Li Wei murmured, his voice barely a breath. "Very well. Let’s see just how 'colorful' this modern world can be."

Onyxa eyed her husband suspiciously. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Li Wei replied, opening his eyes. For a fleeting second, Onyxa caught a faint, golden shimmer in his pupils—a sight that sent an unexplainable chill down her spine. "Let us depart. I wish to see the scale of the stage you have prepared."